We all feel stressed from time to time. After all, life itself contains many challenges and no matter how many resources a person has, there is simply no such thing as a stress-free life. Thankfully, we serve a God who understands these stressors and gives us His messages through His word that give us hope and peace as we traverse the daily struggles of this life. It has been said that the words “fear not” are mentioned in the Bible some 365 times. This means there are enough verses that tell us not to fear, to not be anxious and/or to not worry, for us to read one every day of the year. What provision we have been given from a caring, loving God who doesn’t want us to stress about our lives! He wants us to simply trust that He has everything in hand and to lean not on our own understanding of life’s struggles, but to depend on Him to orchestrate all the details of life for our own good.
Bible Verses About Dealing With Stress
God gives us instructions on how to live life to its fullest and explains why we shouldn’t fear, even commands us to not fear. These messages are outlined in the Bible. The following are just a few of the many Bible verses addressing and dealing with worry and stress:
Psalm 23:4
“Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for You are with me. Your rod and Your staff they comfort me.”
This beloved passage from the Lord is my Shepherd Psalm. This is an oft memorized scripture that exudes peace and teaches us that we have nothing to fear with the Lord by our side, even if we are walking through the valley of death itself. It means that no matter what is going around us, no matter how scary things look, or how challenging the tasks we are facing, that we are protected and comforted by a God who cares, our own good shepherd.
Psalm 55:22
“Cast all your cares on the Lord, and He will sustain you. He will never let the righteous be shaken.”
Life is full of many struggles and cares. Paying bills, taking care of loved ones, dealing with health challenges and relationship problems, it all can be extremely burdensome. Thankfully, we can take all the cares we endure in our world and place them on the Lord who will sustain us. He will never let us be shaken.
Psalm 121:1-2
“I lift my eyes up to the mountains—where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.”
This verse reminds us that our help, our hope doesn’t come from within each of us. We don’t have to muster up courage or keep a stiff upper lip. Instead, our help comes from the Lord, who is worthy to handle all we face and more. After all, He is the maker of heaven and earth. Do you honestly think that He can’t help us as we deal with the comparatively minor issues we are facing? After all, when compared to all the challenges surrounding making the heavens and the earth, is our mortgage payment that big of an issue?
Proverbs 12:25
“Anxiety weighs down the heart, but a kind word cheers it up.”
Anxiety causes us all problems, we all face it and deal with it on occasion. If left unchecked, anxiety can work to weigh down the heart. This means we will become downtrodden and discouraged. Thankfully, God knows that an anxious heart can be uplifted by a kind cheery word.
Matthew 6:25-27
“Therefore, I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?”
If there is a passage in the Bible that communicates the way we are to think of life’s troubles and how we are to handle worry, this is it. In this passage, we are told not to worry about anything to do with our lives. We are not to worry about what we will eat or what we will wear. We don’t have to worry about this because God provides for His children. The scripture goes on to explain that even the birds are provided for by a loving God. How much more valuable to God are we than a mere bird? Therefore, there is no need to worry or fret.
Matthew 11:28-30
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”
This verse is a message of peace. It gives a promise of rest to those of us who trust in God. This means that when we are burdened and wearied by the troubles and responsibilities of the world or by our spiritual needs, we can come to God, and He will take our burden on Himself and give us in exchange an easy and light burden, one that does not drag us down in despair. The verse compares the yoke of legalism with the yoke of peace and purpose through Christ.
The Message of Hope For Stressful Times
The Bible verses about dealing with stress listed above are just some examples of the many that address the topic or speak of fear within God’s word. In addition to learning these verses, consider purchasing from the Love in Faith, for faith-based apparel and items that convey the message of hope communicated in God’s word to the world around you.